Red Aoud is launched in 2008 as one of the collection of six new fragrances by Montale. Three of those fragrances belong to Aoud Collection, while the other three come within the regular fragrance line of the house.

This miraculous gourmand Oud, mixed with red pepper and spicy aromas of saffron and cumin followed by orris root, Haitian vetiver, and sandalwood touched by sweet spices, comes as 100ml (3.4 fl.oz.) EDP.

Sillage

Aoud Collection - Red Aoud Fragrance Reviews

MrsMurgatroyd

This is my very favourite oud! It's so warm, and smooth, and the rose is very dark. Lovely to wear; so very soothing and comfortable. Rich and well blended, with lots of oomph. Very nice and spicy too. It's like wearing a beautiful warm blanket. Very seductive and sensual. Love.

Nov 29 2016

lorenzo_yann_morelli

Spicy and dark rose.. Opens up with pepper and cumin and dries down to an amazing and aggressive dark rose with oud. Longevity is extraordinary and sillage more than that!

Longevity: 7/8 hours -/+ (can last a lot longer, depending on a series of factors)

Sillage: enormous to heavy

Suitable for the colder days.

Oct 01 2016

Chicago Tony T

Before you say I'm insane please here me out. This reminds me of Calligraphy Rose. Key word is reminds. Note as smoky and less rose and the saffron note is more prominent here. I assume that's why many say this has a gourmand vibe but it still has a slight backdrop of the usual Montale oud. I am pleased to notice that the oud is not in your face like many other Montale offerings in that for me makes this one wearable. The same beast mode usual Montale and one of their Top 5 aoud scents that I have smelled. Honey Aoud is my number 1!

Sep 30 2016

Calvini

I only like the first half-hr of this.. smells deliciously complex instead of boring cakey like the rest of its lifespan

Aug 20 2016

Hazazi91

I don't understand why anyone would love the opening of this fragrance but to each with his own. After 30mins of wearing this scent is when I can smell my wrist and all I get is rose and oud is so faint I didn't get any gourmand from this.

Red Aoud it's a ''gourmand oud'' very sensual and warm. Although, really this fragrance it hasn't neither gourmand notes. Then, why happens this? for the combination of notes, very interesting!! Concretally, I perceive a smell like ''cocoa''. Apart from sweet aspect also detect a piquant and powdery character. In fact, it remmind me to Dior Homme Intense regard to the powdery facet.

Personally, it's the Montale's oud fragrance that has convinced me more along to Black Aoud. IMO Red Aoud it's not versatile. It's more appropiate for Autumn and Winter and for special occasions due to gourmand quality and intensity.

This slides into the number two place behind White Aoud and in front of Black. But it's oh so close. The Red Aoud is wonderful - I was worried that it would be too sweet and gourmandy after reading comments. It IS sweet but not in a nasty cheap way. I especially love how the rose and sandalwood come together. It's a very comforting fragrance from beginning to end, and has sillage but not as much as White Aoud. It stirs my appetite as well, for everything that one might have an appetite for.

Edit: I now prefer Black, behind White, and in third place is Red, after a couple of weeks wearing all three. The Red is the sweetest and as lovely as it is, it lacks the mystery component in the other two. I'd love to hear from other Montale Aoud lovers who also love the Black and the White, and which other ones they might recommend!

Feb 10 2016

panaitescucodrut

Whaaaat ??? Valantis, i get easy 12 hours + with mine

Feb 02 2016

arrode

This opens rough, but becomes a wonderfully sweet rosey oud! The opening is a bit medicinal/bathroom cleaner-like, but 30 minutes in it warms up to a sweet, baked-goods, light oud. I wonder what note gives it such a sweet quality? There has to be amber or vanilla in this. Beautiful!

Jan 27 2016

Vlud

Smells like cookies! Definitely has a very gourmand feel. Sillage and longevity are monster! 10+++

Jan 01 2015

Arsenal Till I Die

A gourmand? Caramel corn? Oreo cookie? Not to my mind. More like potpourri!

The opening is a blast of oud and a ton of black pepper. It almost burnt all my nose hairs, it's that strong! Agree with a reviewer below that states it almost smells like a high alcohol content hand sanitiser in the opening. I'm feeling the cumin is also playing a big role in this. Thankfully it begins to sweeten up more and more as time goes by revealing a sense of creaminess lingering in the background that even then, ultimately doesn't save this one. Ive even heard comparisons to Dior homme which are pretty far fetched if you ask me. I feel that maybe if the cumin and Vetiver weren't a part of the composition and the black pepper was a whole lot more subdued then it would have been a much smoother experience. Overall a very dusty and dry fragrance. A very bumpy ride that I no longer wish to participate in. Intense cafe is miles ahead if your looking for a sexy rose gourmand.

Wow, what a stunningly wonderful perfume this is. It is years since I had a signature fragrance; i simply can't stick that long to a single scent, there are too many to love. But this is signature scent quality for sure. It has got everything I have been searching for; it's warm, sweet, bright, rounded, powdery, clean and at the same time intriguing, dark and slightly earthy. I love how the saffron and sandalwood gives it a clean softness, a bit of rose to add powder, red pepper and other spices to give it edge, chocolate and vanilla to make it so easy to love. Not much oud to my nose but the sandalwood is prominent. A beautiful sillage and tremendous longevity!

Dec 15 2015

Traian

Smells like a powdery cookie somhow dry, something like a biscuit. I will wear it more and i will tell you my impressions!

Dec 11 2015

sparkybish

Red Aoud has tremendous sillage and staying power, but it somehow soft and not overpowering. Almost like a Valentine of chocolate and roses with a powdery wood dry down. Fantastic, cozy and warm. Perfect for this cold weather and a scarf.

Nov 30 2015

pravda48

I 2nd the review below me, well said! It's like oreo cookies with Montale's normal oudy blend only visible at the opening and a tiny bit later on. Yum! NOTHING like 24 Platinum to/on me.

2 thumbs up! My non-perfume collecting boyfriend said it smells like S'mores, and mmmm'd it deeply. (No I didn't mention I thought it smelled like oreos, he said it point blank.) Huge win as far as I'm concerned.

Jul 29 2015

Pare159

Oreo cookies and rose oud blended well. Top scent from house.

Jun 14 2015

the_badger

Can someone tell me if this is similar to By Kilian's Eternal Oud?

May 18 2015

psebi101

I like to think of this one as a gourmand with a twist. Great opening smelling like a bakery in which a batch of bred has just finished cooking in the oven. After a while it gets sweeter and the bakery smell turns into a creamy rose pastry. The oud is not dominant at all and I find Red Aoud to be a very pleasant, well blended fragrance.

8/10

Apr 06 2015

landshark321

Pepper, spice, oud in Red Aoud make for a strong opening and agreeable spicy dry down, much more pleasant than Amouage Journey Man, in my opinion. Certainly masculine, with a good balance of spicy and herb-ish notes, I'd probably classify it as a cold weather night scent. I'd agree with some of other reviews in that it is well blended, as no particular note is cloying. It has some sweetness to it in the dry down, albeit subtly.

Projection and longevity are both strong.

This is definitely an appealing addition for fans of spicy fragrances. Generally I am not but I have to agree that this probably would work for a lot of men, and isn't overwhelming or overly formal. I'm not familiar with much of Montale, but this wants me to make try more of their scents. Not one that I'd necessarily buy at the price but worth considering.

7 out of 10

Mar 12 2015

deadidol

This is one of the more condom-themed Montale’s — the rubbery saffron-rose note that’s oddly appealing. But I think that what’s actually impressive about this is that it’s not as rose-dominated as you might expect, rather it takes the saffron as its focus and honeys it up a bit over the standard Montale “oud” accord. The effect is a slightly powdered, slightly gourmand take on the line’s usual Orientalist cliches, and it actually works. Furthermore, it’s not belligerently loud like many of their scents. As it settles, the rose does bloom a little more (not a good thing in my opinion as they usually smell cheap from this line), but all in all, it’s one of the better of the 50 or so ouds they’ve cranked out. A saffron gourmand with some spicy, rosy flourishes. No actual oud in sight, but that’s to be expected.

Mar 04 2015

morkant

Dusty, piquant, romantic, silky oud. Almost a little salty. I don't sense any cookies or the like. The inclusion of vetiver and orris root give this depth and gravitas, literally 'roots'. I've used this in warm weather and loved it, the cooling vetiver really balanced to whole formula. Very likable and distinct! Unisex.

Feb 18 2015

tatonnement

All I smell (unfortunately): unscented hand sanitizer (high alcohol content) and roses. That's it!!! I wish I could smell what the other reviewers do, but this frag won't budge on my skin.

Feb 13 2015

Hedgehog_0828

First, I'd like to make clear that each nose senses each fragrance in a different way. We all have different levels of sensitivity on top of different taste towards each bottle of perfume. In order to rate a fragrance I always get a sample of the same and wear it at least twice so i can see consistency. I've seen some reviews based on paper sprayed with the perfume or simply based on a sniff in a perfume store but that's nothing to do with my personal point of view. To summarize all up, I find Red Aoud a wo derful masterpiece, a 10/10 bases on my taste. At first sniff I sense a floral scent mixed with some spices. It might be this mixture plus the oud that gives this juice a woody type of sense. Saffron comes in giving the impression of vanilla and hints of caramelized nuts. Wow, I find myself jaw dropping when I smell this beauty. To me this is a gourmand on the dry side (on the wonderful dry side) not the earthy and dry tea type. Believe me, this review comes from someone who did not have any love and interest for oud fragrances. I recently found myself buying oud based perfumes and Red Aoud is a gem

Jan 22 2015

Muzoona

Its Almond Cake. very lovely bakery shop smell. I dint notice the rose. I tried it today and went to visit my parents and they twice asked me about it. i advise to have it if you are fan of sweet notes.

Dec 19 2014

Mikeyd

Dior homme with rose and oud added
I love it longevity and sillage all day! 8.5/10

Nov 25 2014

halona1

My love. Whenever i try it on, my knees are weak. Oud has that effect on me ;) It's oriental and spicy but not overly sweet. That attracts me so much! The perfume soaks into skin and all you feel is something warm and cloudy like incense. If you are fan of oud - must try!

Nov 08 2014

Felurian

I have adored this scent since I discovered it 4 years ago. To me this is a moderately sweet gourmand oud. It smells like Arabic/Turkish desserts, Like a mixture of top notch baklava and rose flavored turkish delight candy, with an afterthought of oud incense. I feel like the oud in this perfume is less domineering but ever present in a charming subdued way. There is a hint of delightful saffron as well.

This is an uplifting and sweetly sexy perfume. Makes me feel like an Eastern princess walking through a candy bazaar several hundred years ago in a fantasy land. Love it.

Sep 08 2014

alberto1964

For agarwood lovers this perfume is like the Holy Grail. Powerful in the top notes, wild and spicy in the middle notes, lustful and bright in the base notes. Manly masculine, proudly feminine. Great scent.

Aug 28 2014

Mikeyd

okay so what I definitely get out of this fragrance the initial opening it's an almond nutty like sent with light rose and oud.
it can definitely be calling after a while and will fill a room if you spray more than 3 sprays.overall I give it a 8 out of 10

Aug 27 2014

harpermae

Trying this for the first time today, the minute I put it on it reminded me of something from my childhood that I couldn't put my finger on. But, now it's come to me: easy bake oven cake, and not in a good way. It had an very sour, leavened yeast-like smell. Luckily, that didn't last long. Now the spices are coming in, but that sourness is lingering. Maybe that's the oud? My son just told me I smell like cinnamon. It's pretty nice, not sure it's FB worthy, though.

Aug 13 2014

Chicago Tony T

Another Montale great! Big Oud opening which you either love or hate with a rose and saffron drydown. A tad bit of sweetness and a woody backdrop. Many speak of reformulation but the one I have is up to Montale standards. All day silage and longevity. Another masterpiece rom the house IMO.

Aug 05 2014

Guest_Colin Maillard

Red Aoud opens with a stout, quite heavy accord of oud, flowers and red pepper, with a bold (and frankly a bit sickening, initially) overall smell that resembles to barbecue sauce on a roasted piece of pancake. Luckily it quickly becomes a bit more pleasant and tolerable, the floral side comprises mostly rose and other (a bit "generic") silky floral notes, then there's also spices and a light "red" note of red pepper. A more floral and "juicier" take on oud in short. I also detect a subtle honey-cocoa breeze on the base, together with the usual rubbery feel or synthetic oud. Nicely mediocre, and as other reviewers already remarked, hardly distinguishable from many other Montale's: not bad, but if you're into "rose and oud" you can find much better than this – for example Gold Rose Oudh by Tiziana Terenzi.

5,5-6/10

Jul 27 2014

mirrorghost

this is the first montale i've tried, and i really love it. it's got gourmand elements but isn't overly sweet. in the vial it smells like a deep, lush red rose, fully bloomed, but on the skin, the spices come out big time and the oud kind of hangs out in the background, acting like a supporting character. it starts out as a sweet, fruity almost candy-encrusted rose, but then it becomes a warm, spicy red rose and stays pretty true to form throughout the drydown. i think this is unisex but veers a little to the more traditionally feminine side.

Apr 18 2014

pianist75

yesterday I've bought this EDP directly from MONTALE,s website thinking its good as I remember...but its watered down !! its a shame!! I have 10 of their perfumes in my collection bought it 5 years ago. they were good. but this RED aoud 2014 march its weak poor longevity no strength at all. I swear to god it disappeared after 30 minutes completely has no sillage . but wait...I've read on BASENOTES about it just now and many people complaining about Montale's new products, claiming that they even replayed on face book saying that its true. watering down their products. if anyone its experiencing same thing please replay...
Aurelio

Mar 27 2014

ParfumFetiche

This review is based on a tiny decant. Instead of the usual rose+saffron+oud+vanilla combo, the vanilla is replaced with creamy sandalwood. Not bad. All notes are well-balanced without overpowering each other. I don't really pick up the other notes. It has above average projection and good longevity on my skin.

Feb 18 2014

stephanieklein

MONTALE RED AOUD is a hot scent for a cold night, where you're escorted past the velvet rope and invited to the VIP section. But, nah, the woman in RED AOUD is ready to go home and have sex.

From roses to a slinky vanilla, all with projection and longevity--talk to me lover!

Jan 24 2014

allbookerka

What a nice perfume! Very unusual, and the opening is rather intense, but then floral sweetness with a little pepper notes follows and it gets very warm, sensual and even a little bit dark. Very interesting smell! Spicy sweetness :)

Dec 13 2013

rschmidt65

Starts out with very strong aoud, oily, medicinal, unpleasant. Quickly morphs into red velvet cake and rose water with a musky dry down. Absolutely monster sillage and staying power. I dabbed only a tiny bit from the sample bottle for fear of offending and while I don't think anyone was offended it was definitely noticed.

Nov 13 2013

meugie

I love the scent, but the oud I really felt in the very opening. I agree with the reviews that define it as a gourmand. Definitely it isn’t a chipre/floral.
In fact, smelled of maraschino cherries when "analyzed" the work. Maybe the "red" in the name suggested me. But with a closer attention I realized that is vanille-y saffron.
I bought a fraction in purse spray and I don't know if I'd buy the whole bottle as it is not a perfume that I see myself wearing frequently. I think you have to be in a certain state of mind to use it. For sure I’ll buy another purse spray when this one is over, but my 5 ml will last long.
This is my first Montale :) 
It has a very long lasting and a heavy sillage.

Oct 04 2013

hadassa

I was looking for a woody oriental, but this is totally gourmand, and a very dense and intensive one!

I feel like I'm eating rose loukhoum, chocolate cookies, honey and halva on top. SO sweet! It's also quite spicy (cumin and saffron are very prominent to my nose). Oh, what a delight for those with sweet tooth!

RED AOUD has an almost foody quality, but in a good way. I seriously feel sweetness on my tongue. I love everything about it: its sugar overload, its velvety texture, its powderiness (I do feel the orris root very well here).

A must have for cold winters.

Sep 23 2013

Roge'

Another day, another oud. If this doesn't make you like rose then nothing will. This is one of those fragrances that will definitely get you a lot of compliments. Although the combination of oud has been done many times in many ways, this is not at all familiar. It's phenomenal how the rose blankets the oud as if it's not there. The pepper and spices prevents the frag from become too rosey(which i like). Just another good oud from Montale. Bring on the next one....

Red aoud one of my recent purchase what can I say I find this scent very intriguing the notes are pretty much accurate and well balanced none of the notes are dominating each other I can feel the iris but not lipsticky you find like in dior homme. At first spray it opens up very rich a powdery type of aoud scent with the rose then the scent settles down I feel the pepper more in the middle rather than at the top. Buttom its sweet the vetyver sandalwood combo I dont know the smell of orris root in particular I guess its blended in with the buttom notes the aoud has completely diminished at this stage of the scent to my nose. All in all very good and natural smelling gourmand scent. I describe Red aoud as cotton candyish rosey powdery aoudy scent. Definitely unisex on this one and as many reviewers had said a masterpiece and I totally agree.
longevity 10 plus hours on my skin very potent 10 out 10
sillage this projects 2 spray 3 max this works for me not a monster but you will get noticed 9 out 10.
uniqueness very unique smelling for sure definitely a stand out. 10 out 10
overall smell 10 out 10 for love it no complaints from top to buttom.
price vs quality a no brainer here 10 out 10 totally moneys worth.
versatility cold weather day or night

Aug 10 2013

SAKE

Fruitee, opulent, riche...
Gourmand like the scene of 9 1/5 week

Jul 31 2013

Happyme2009

Red Aoud has so many reviews already that it seems obsolete to say more . For me , it is the softest , most charming of the series . It's also gourmand , I smell chocolate and saffron . Not many flowers . The Aoud isn't smoky or medicinal at all , it's just like dry wood . The dryness creates a powdery effect , without swinging to talcum . Warm , sensual , and quite feminine . Silage and lasting power are average , less than other Montale , which normally are very strong . Recommended to try to those who don't like a strong and pungent Aoud like Black Aoud but still enjoy the middle eastern sensuality . Languorous , curvy and sexy ! A masterpiece softer even than White Aoud , which I also adore .

Jul 11 2013

mossyoakpenn

The other reviewers had this one right, gourmand oud! And I love it!!!! Not too sweet, great longevity, and perfect sillage. It lasted on my skin for 10 hours and had a good, deep, powerful sillage of about 8 hours until it turned into a skin scent. And my skin soaks up perfumes too. I need to get a bottle of this one.

Jul 02 2013

lloydbruno

At first spritz I feel the vibe medicinal oud, but within a few seconds, blends an earthy smell warm and dry, like a root still land were left exposed to the sun! After a few minutes medicinal vibe starts to get in evidence again at the right is spicy, a scent is warm and sweet, sometimes a creamy nuance appears, and soon gives way to a dry dusty vibe, and it's like they fought for decide who is next to the oud.

After some time it changes, and floral notes are evident through on my skin, and some medicinal vibe, and thus extends to the end of the fragrance!

Fixing and projection very good, but the flavor did not please me much, it's not like I expected, if the floral notes were perceptible in the background with the oud prevailing, would be perfect! But the middle to the base notes, on my skin, it just makes him more floral! It has quality, it is indisputable, but not for me!

Jun 17 2013

missdeeblue

Goodness.. Here we go. Another frag thats hit the spot. And I mean HIT. SLAM BAM WALLOP. Calm down its just a scent..but its NOT! Its soo much more. On my hand right now I smell foodie and floral and delicious smoke. Maybe it could be likend to the scent of a marshmallow melting over a flame of burning petals. I have to admit I love the gourmands. Not as foodie as Hermes hookah (aka ambre nargulie) but absolutely gormand. Montale 'Red' I was expecting Amber,ginger or cherry but the result surprised me in a very nice way. Could it work on a guy? YES and PLEASE!! (Ill share) Pricey, yes, you could say that -- but lasts FOREVER!! The Longevity is enormous

May 09 2013

Ovaltine Jenkins

Opens with a nice blend of oud and pink pepper. I don't quite get the same strong gourmand vibe that other reviewers have noted, but it's there. Dries down to a pleasant musk with hints of rose. miaw2's review made a comparison to Dior Homme Intense. I'd have to agree with that except to remove the lipstick note from DHI and replace it with rose.

Slightly more to the feminine side of unisex because of the rose, but still very wearable for a man.

Feb 20 2013

Kochy7058

I dont know why, but the opening for about 5 minutes smells and reminds me of the smell when I used to walk into a mall department store like JCpenneys or Kaufmanns.
Dries down to a chocolate sandalwood mixed in with a faint powdery soap. Very enjoyable drydown that projects very well, but not invasive to people around you. Solid office scent and definitely a scent for someone out of school. If you do not like this scent on the first try, I'd give it a couple more wearings before passing final judgement.I'd say include this in your next sample order for sure.

Feb 13 2013

dariapesheva

Unforgettable, very classy and high quality fragrance. Every drop of this amazing perfume deserves its price.
I smell roses, those dark red roses which my grandma used to plant in her garden. Mixed with the aoud and spices these roses create fabulous aroma and u feel like a queen.Enormously lasting, it gives u comfort,warmth and at the same time it smells expensively and luxuriously.In love in love in love......

Jan 25 2013

pynkgirl

So I've been wanting to try this for months now and now I finally have! Ok, so I've heard so much about this fragrance. Most of the things i've read or heard have been nothing short of excellent.

Ok, so this starts off with a chocolate chip cookie smell mixed with rose. The rose does not dominate, the chocolate chip cookie is front and center. Upon first whiff, I was blown away! This smells so delicious! Good enough to eat! After several hours of wearing , I would get little whiffs here and there. By the end of the 8 hours i was wearing this, it ended with a nice powdery rose. This fragrance is spectacular from an artistic composition point of view and the longevity is awesome! This is a true gourmand.

Now, I've heard about being easy on the trigger with this one because of the extreme projection. My sample was a dabber, so maybe that has something to do with it, but it has good projection, just not the most beastly of Montale's as everyone was saying. The most beastly that i have experienced so far was Velvet Aoud.

This is definitely full bottle worthy!

Jan 20 2013

Conifer lover

Montale Red Aoud surprised me with a blast of sweetness straight out of the sprayer. I initially tested on the back of my hand but it was instant love so I decided to empty my tiny partially used sample vial. Soon after a full application, I noticed the freshness of this scent. This is a rich, opulent sweet freshness that I could not ignore. I was pretty impressed because I expected a heavy, dark, pungent Oud but instead I got a niche quality gourmand with a masculine edge. I did not detect the Oud note until around 8 hours after I first applied.

I continued to get delicious whiffs throughout the day but I beamed as a salesperson stuttered through his spiel because it was interrupted three times by, "Damn you smell good!"

Of the notes listed, my nose only knows Oud and vetiver. I suppose the vetiver can account for the freshness but the sweetness remains a mystery. I would compare this gem to Taueraide but I won't because both can't be Best but they are running neck in neck for Fresh.

Jan 11 2013

Cereza

What a fantastic perfume this is, it surprised me greatly and I am in love.
It opened with oud as it is it's most noticeable ingredient. I do love oud, but here I was more in love with the stuff going on in background, at the opening the scent is very gourmand, almost smells edible, I do not get cookies like someone mentioned, I get a very dominant note of praline. It is soon followed by a lovely sandalwood and vetiver combo, I love how vetiver plays it's role here making this dry and very sensual.
At the heart most noticeable on me is saffron, but of course the rose is there as well, here the rose is cold and very elegant.
Overall I can say this is a masterpiece and fully worth a bottle. Suitable for both sexes as oud and vetiver works perfectly as "unisex notes".
If you haven't tried this yet - do try. On my wishlist for full bottle this goes with no doubt. One of the best Montale's I've tried so far and I've tried enough and loved enough from his line of perfumes to say that this is very special.

Dec 13 2012

Carestinus

I agree with Descartes on the Oreo cookies... this really smells like cookies and I'm thoroughly impressed by this Montale!!! It has of course a very gourmand side to it but it goes through a different path because it never gets too sweet or cloying or onedimensional as most gourmies do. Oud gives a woody well rounded finish that I simply find perfect, sensual to death and I'm soooo happy I've sampled this. Together with Black aoud at the very top of my likings !!!! This hobby/passion will drive me directly to live under some bohemian bridge if I keep on finding jewels like this one... but what a deliciously fragrant bridge that would be!

Nov 24 2012

CDGfan

As another reviewer put it this REALLY does smell like Caramel Corn.

Nov 12 2012

takeitupthenose

This may be the first time I wouldn't concur with Shera Pop, not about her description of course but of my love for this scent. This is the first time I have ever worn a scent for 5 consective days. I wore it to bed 4 times and finally wore it out today (once I got an atomizer to drop it in).

It is such a unique fragrance. Sweet but in a glazed way, spicy but in a refined pepper way, like a spicy you encounter in an Amouage. The florals are curbed by the spicy sweetness and the sweetness curbed by the florals and woody components. To top this off the oud note in here is a smooth as I have encountered in a Montale fragrance.

The unique thing about this fragrance is the combination of notes make it almost a subtle gourmand like fragrance but for the life of me these notes are not describing what I am smelling. Usually what happens for me is whever rose+oud+saffron come together I always get this uniqe sweetness on my sking. Rose Oud, NY Oud, Fearri Oud and even Cruel Intentions all do this to my nose.

Maybe it is the caraway pepper and those notes doing it to me. It smells like it could have some tonka or amber in there somewhere. This thing is just gorgeous to my nose.

This sillage, projection and longevity is Montale Aoud like but not as intense as Black Aoud or even Lime Aoud for that matter. I would probably put it on a Blue Amber level. Overall this is a great fragrance. If you like the descriptions then I promise you won't be disappointed if you find these notes challenging avoid it.

Nov 02 2012

sherapop

Tonight after my bath, I decided to play a bit of Montale roulette, which involves reaching into my hat box (seriously...) of samples from this house and wearing whatever I happen to select. RED OUD it was.

These are carded manufacturer samples, so there is really no way that I can blame this on some lame decanter who answered the phone in the midst of my order fulfillment. No. This perfume really and truly came from the top-secret headquarters in an undisclosed place where weird tubular aerodynamic bottles are so often filled with perfumes which make me swoon. I was excited for a couple of minutes as I relished the prospect of yet another gorgeous rose-oud perfume from this house. No, there cannot be too many!

Alas, what I found when I donned this oddball creation was complete and utter confusion. No rose, that seemed clear. But what was it that I smelled? Could it be... no, I could not believe and applied more waiting a minute before smelling my arm. Yes, I'm afraid I was right: in the opening wafts I clearly detected....caramel corn!

After that, the perfume became less sweet but still retained a kind of corn-y flavor in the background, along with what appeared to be oud and possibly ambergris. Looking now at the notes, I don't really know what to say--or to think, except that perhaps this equation is valid, at least according to my nose:

I’m sorry, but this is not a gourmand. A gourmand scent is one that, somehow, turns on your taste and makes your mouth “watery”. RED AOUD is, definitely, a woody floral scent. A bottled wonder!

Once applied on the skin, it’s frightening, because the aoud note on the top, along with the red pepper. You don’t know if you’ll suffocate and you wonder if that smell will stay strong, like that, until the end. But within 10 minutes, this sensation ends, the potent and medicinal smell starts fading away and the magic happens. From this moment on, I had the one of the biggest surprises related to colognes until today: it changes and evolves all the time and, in about 1 hour, it has evolved 3 times differently. It’s like if I was trying 3 different scents on my skin.

Firstly, as I said, the strong and medicinal aoud + pepper; then, a vetiver that "screams" along with the saffron; and, finally, an elegant rose that remains there, together with the vetiver and sandalwood. It has remained as a floral, slightly powdery, with an imposing vetiver and something "soft and cozy", which I believe is the result of caraway and sandalwood notes. It is, unabashedly, unisex. However, a beautiful rose to be worn by men!
The projection and the lasting are superb. A masterpiece!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm this red aoud is a masterpiece. A MASTERPIECE !!! It is a gourmand oud !!! BEAUTIFULLY done, very very very nice with the safran and the pepper. However it has a caramel-chocolate vibe to which makes it sublime ! I felt in love with the first spray (me ! To tell you the truth, it is very very rare, my first love was M7... i didn't think i was able to fall in love again :) !!)

10/10

My only problem is for purchasing my next fragrance : this or wazamba :)

Sep 19 2012

Hayven

This perfume is SPICEY! (imagine that said by SNL's Stefon). It started off smelling a little rubbery, but it developed into a wonderful mix of spices and warmth. One spray is all you need; it lasts a very long time.

Sep 01 2012

mocha43

I got a sample of this the other day and am loving it! It smells wonderful from first spray though dry down and beyond. It lasts 10 or more hours on my skin which is some kind of miracle and it has wonderful sillage for the first 4 or 5 hours and then lays closer to my skin. I had complements when I wore it to the store. "That smells wonderful, what's the name of it?". Yhe oud is there but quite mellow, the saffron blended with the rose makes it sweet but blended with the caraway and pepper it is spicey, too. I am definitely getting a full bottle of Red Aoud in the near future.

Aug 23 2012

AmoreProfumi

Upon first spray I loved it!! It's just so wonderfully different, agreed the 1st spray deceives you a bit, it makes you think it's some overly powerful standoffish scent, but it's not at all well maybe it can be a bit lol but that doesn't last for long the dry down is absolutely wonderful, && it's very well balanced there's a sweetness w/o being overly sweet giving it a nice gourmandish quality, && it's also quite cozy && very easy to wear. && YESS!! MONSTER SILLAGE && LONGEVITY! it's like the energizer bunny it just keeps going && going I showered && I could still faintly detect it on my skin && that was only one spray, && that's the great thing about Montale you don't need much at all. I took to this fast && can say this is one very enjoyable && unique Aoud I'm glad I got to discover new fav! :)

UPDATE (8.27.12): Finally own a bottle of this wooo! love this scent!! :)

Aug 05 2012

Redpula

For me on a 1 spritz at my wrist, the top notes gave me slight headache. It was powerful, deep and penetrating.

I was disappointed although the scent is very unique.

After 30 minutes the beauty of this fragrance caught me by surprise and the biggest surprise is that aside from its monster sillage, longevity is by far at par with my A*Men and TM Angel. It's heart and drydown are so wonderful to my nose.

After 8 hours, I woke up, took a shower and it's scent linger on my wrist for the next 5 more hours. That is a stunning and impressive 13-15 hours of wonder. But again, the slight headache will make me avoid to use this perfume unless needed on an evening formal occasion. Not recommended on summer daytime. Be careful. Two sprays is good enough and expect the scent to stick on your skin even after you took shower. Out of 10, I give it an 8.5 for it's haunting scent, strong sillage and monster longevity.

Jul 31 2012

PricklyAndHot

Not sickly, but sweet enough gourmand oriental fragrance!

In the beginning of the opening I feel the oud note most of all, that reminds me about dentistry office scent. But than it opens sweet and not sharp spices and starts to remind me Angel by Thierry Mugler a little bit and the patchouli note especially, but I prefer Angel to it for sure.

Not complex enough to like it, in my humble opinion.

Jul 17 2012

serchina

This is such an interesting Montale. To me its a powerful sillage MONSTER :) I dont think its close to skin. 1-2 hours after I applied this I went shopping and the sales lady asked me "OMG! what are you wearing?" Its really in my face.
This is definitely more than an oud scent. Its like a sweet peppery rose with a dominant cherry note in it. The saffron is also easily detected.
I have a sample which is quite enough for me and I am happy to experience this beauty, but I dont think I will buy a full bottle. Its more on the spicy-fruity side to me rather than woody spicy..

Jul 14 2012

AveParfum

None of the reviews here could prepare me for how Red Oud would turn out on my own skin. It's gourmand, very edible and yummy, yet it's not sickly sweet. Must be the oud, I mean, who would want to eat something that smells like rubber, right? This smells exactly like some kind of silky, creamy, white chocolate truffle with a rose confiture center. I don't get any pepper at all, which I am kind of happy about. The most interesting facet of this perfume is a mystery note that resembles citrus--it's an inexplicable acridity. While anything sour or acrid usually turns me off, in this case it serves to balance out all of the sweetness.

The sad part is that as it dries down Red Oud becomes too been-there-done-that-soft-and-powdery, a la Loukhoum by Keiko Mecheri. And I like Loukhoum Parfum du Soir better than the other two as it has more depth and richness.

(I can't seem to forget this one...so while it's not my favorite Montale, I plan to buy a bottle.)

How the hell can one describe this? OMG its out on its own. First spray made me frown, thinking "WTFFFF!!" Whats that chemical smell? Like basil wrapped in acrylic monomer Then (thank God) it settles. AND BOY it changes. Powdery, cherries fermented in hot sauce, poured over a warm chocolate pudding, with sugared rose leaves & cinammon sticks - sound too much? Well it is! Its also addictive. The oud? For me it is missing, thats left to the Black Aoud

May 22 2012

kkoun

Montale Red Aoud is a favorite of mine among other Aoud fragrances by Montale. This is a very well balanced perfume in terms of three notes: Aoud, Rose and Spice. The composition is smooth and velvety. It is red because of red rose and red pepper. I don't get black pepper but instead something similar to red pepper or pimiento pepper. The pepper note stays throughout its life being very loud in the opening and somewhat delusional in the dry down. Cumin spiced up the saffron with red pepper resulting in a loud spicy Aoud opening Which isn't as medicinal as other Aoud fragrances. I love the Rose-Aoud combo. The longevity is quite amazing. You can smell it on your clothes almost forever until you wash them. I have tried other Montale Aouds such as Moon, Golden, Black, White, Lime & Cuir d' Arabie but Red Aoud is a winner!
There is a mystic quality and just subtle sexiness in Red Aoud that I liked and decided to buy.
Verdict: 8/10

Feb 15 2012

Goldfinch

I could eat myself while wearing this one:). Oud isn't screaming here, he's only whispering, to my nose saffron, rose and caraway top the bill. On my skin it's like a rose-very dark chocolate veil, not too strong, not too sweet, just beautiful. I don't say such a thing often but it's sexy. But sometimes it's 'only' cozy. I can see myself wearing it day and night, too. Don't know how it works on a man but I'm wondering. Lasting power and sillage are very good. This is my favourit Montale and favourit oud so far. Love it.

Dec 12 2011

Mr. Doody

really enjoying this scent! the drydown scent is fabulous. great longevity so far and pretty decent sillage. i've gotten a couple comments on it so far today. strong at the outset - and some might find it overpowering, but the scnet calms down quickly. the opening smelled to me like oud plus a "blood accord" which was fascinatingly intriguing, but not entirely pleasant ;-) . it's quite a distinctive scent IME! i've tried a variety of stuff with oud, but this is easily the 'smoothest' oud i've smelled. can't wait to try the other Montale Aouds!

Nov 29 2011

Fábio Condé

Thanks Montale! I can use base oud fragrances because of this! The opening is well balanced with oud, not so harsh and medicinal scent. The heart comes with intense saffron turn it censed the fragrance and the transition to the base, the caraway brings this feel kind of something gourmand. The base with orris root ends in a sublime way this fragrance.

Rating: 8,5-9/10

Oct 26 2011

HappyShopper123

I was very pleasantly surprised by this aoud - it's extremely wearable. It's more subtle than other aouds, and the rose note is beautiful without being too harsh. The overall effect is refined elegance with a hint of sexiness.

Sep 01 2011

fpih

A strange aoud this one for me; it's less spicy and more sweet, smooth and powdery compared to the other aouds I've tried, both from this house and others. Very intriguing and long lasting but soft and staying close to skin at the same time. As far as aouds go, this one's the most easily wearable and more acceptable to those new to aoud. I really like it, but it's more of a comfort scent than I'd like in my oud.

Update: The more I use it, the more I love it. It's very gourmand and delicious and I simply have to have it. If you like sofisticated, non-too-sweet gourmands, give this a try!

Aug 02 2011

TigerEyes

Smooth, powdery, spicy, a hint of cardamom maybe?...mmmm. The sun's just set on a Sunday night and I put some on from a sample. It's soothing and engaging, and has quite a presence...I feel like heading out to a museum or something cultural! A grounding confidence booster for me.

Jul 31 2011

alfarom

I'd split Montale's ouds in two different categories. On one side we have Oud Cuir D'Arabie and Black Aoud that stand out for their uniqueness and their challenging power. On the other side I'd put all the other compositions form the same line as they basically consist in micro-variations on the main theme.

Now, beside what you may personally like or not almost any of the "Aouds" by this house stand somehow on the same level (a good level with the exception of a few really unsuccessful releases such as Aoud Forest and Sliver Aoud). A more or less strong / medicinal oud note joined by a complementary bunch of other aromas to match different tastes.

My suggestion to anyone who like oud is to pick up a bunch of samples from the Montale's range and see which one fits your bill better. Once you've made your choice stick with one, or maximum two of them, as I can assure you that by that point you covered a lot of ground already.

That being Red Aoud is a micro-variation on the main theme taking a spicy (red-chili) direction. The oud note here is not as strong and powerful as in other perfumes from the same line, but still remarkably present. Hidden cacao hints provide some refinement and a sort of gourmandic quality. Nice and pleasant but I stick with Aoud Musk.

Rating: 7/10

May 01 2011

Tigerlillian

Saying that this smells like ripe red berries gently spiced and salted would be way too simplistic. This is the grand gourmet of gourmand perfumes with a well blended fusion of savory notes in delicate balance.

The agarwood in this fragrance is exquisitely delicious, with a sweet and salty woody character that's almost like caramel with a hint of soured dry red rose.

Saffron and caraway are soft but distinct, creating exotic spiced air wafting on the breeze, then settling into an accord that is reminiscent of a spiced sandalwood-vanilla-musk base.

Earthy, yet managing to instill a feeling of sublime rapture and comfort. I think my guardian angel must smell like this.

Apr 25 2011

lfmars98

This is a very good, long lasting fragrance. Its not as dark as Black Aoud; its more powdery and gourmand light like dry cacao. Its more wearable than Black Aoud, but not as bold. It last easily 10+ hours on my skin. 9/10.

Nov 23 2010

trax

I can only review this scent up against Aoud Velvet from the same line, as the concept of ouds are still news to my nose.
Red Aoud reminds me alot of Aoud Velvet, I feel you're hit with the same initial blast of oud in both Red Aoud, Aoud Velvet, Crystal Aoud and White Aoud..
Red Aoud is without the sour notes from Velvet Aouds jasmine and orange blossom, and carraway and saffron gives Red a warmth that I feel is lacking in Velvet.
It is a tremendous confidence booster, the one I'd put on before a meeting in the bank..
It reads as very warm on my skin, whereas Aoud Velvet comes out clearly cooler in temperature.
Red Aoud struck me as more familiar somehow than did Velvet Aoud. Red plays it more safe. For this reason Velvet Aoud wins over Red Aoud in my book. I wanted the uncompromised eastern experience.
Even if Velvet can suffocate a small village..
..well actually, all from the oud line is capable of that ;)

Nov 23 2010

adele l

Doesn't smell like anything i've tried before! Its opening was almost medicinal and off putting but one minute later oooh interesting. Is it the saffron or carraway? It's slightly sweet and there's a rich rose in there somewhere- the drydown is not as straightforward as the other montale aouds- it doesn't have their middle eastern nuances and woodsy drydown- red aoud stays sweet. I love it for entirely different reasons than i love the other aouds and that's all right!

Aug 31 2010

Dark Curls

Oh dear god..this is quite possibly the most exquisite, sensual, exotic perfume i have ever smelled. This, is to me how I imagine the beautiful Cleopatra to smell. I am head over heels and I must get a large bottle asap! I will cherish my precious decant. This is breathtaking so spicy and warm, but completely unlike anything else in my rather large collection- even the real spicy ones. I can't and won't stop smelling my arm!!!

Apr 24 2010

rebella

You´re enjoying the most beautiful sunset in your life, the sun is enourmus, and glowing like a red ruby in the sky. The evening getting darker every second, and the sun colours the sky in amazing colours of golden, warm pink, bright red, orange and purple.

If this scenery could be interprented in a scent, that scent would be Red Aoud.

It´s warm, mysterious, comforting, spicy, glowing, deep, cool and truly gorgues in every way. The notes seem to blend seamlessly in and out in each other. The aoud is very precense in it, but not as sharp and loud as in Black Aoud, only just enough to make the scent so interesting, complex and oriental.

No doubt about me liking Red Aoud I guess? I do more than like it, actually I have to get me a big bottle of this. Red Aoud is one of those perfumes I don´t want to live without. Nothing comes even close when I am longing for it.

Amazingly longlasting, great sillage, this is not for a shy wallflower, Red Aoud will make you noticable. But more in a classy, beautiful way than common and vulgar.

Like the mysteries of the Orient in a bottle.

A must try. Don´t blame it on me when you realise you´ll need a full bottle of it!

Sep 20 2009

Kterhark

What a fun, spicy scent!! I love the pepper note, and the underlyin saffron and carraway give it a sweetness that makes it very interesting. I would say this is a good sample for those who can come the table with a ready appreciation for Woody Spicy fragrances. It is a little sharp, and as a Montale it's going to be over the top and high sillage and longevity. After the one hour mark it really hits it's stride and is hard not to love.

Sep 01 2009

guest_Andy

Red Aoud is to sweet
it gives me a headache at first
but when it dries down it stops giving me a headache
a very soft drydown
more suitable for a woman

May 17 2009

chocolateguy

To me, Red Aoud is so much more wearable than Black Aoud. Red is soft, smooth, not too strong. Red is sweet, warm, but also dark and deep. A little hint of chocolate makes Red very delicious and enteresting. I love this Red.

Feb 07 2009

SandraS

I tried this for the last two days and
Wow... its everything Jeca described and more. I'm tottaly off balance since its not usually my kind of scent, but is so well balance and distinct, perfect sillage that envelops you in tender warm arms. Very spicy, its last all day on my skin. It has few layers, making it deceptively simple. Very sensual... it makes me fell sexy. Perfect for this cold days when you need an extra push to get you going. Can stop smeeling it on my wrist.

Nov 26 2008

jeca

I like this perfume, I have spent a day with it, and it was very bright and comfortable all the time. All ingredients are warm, even hot, but smooth and well-balanced, I smell the rose in its heart. I think it is dark red, or brown red.

Jun 23 2008

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